Challenge – The main challenge on the conveyor system was premature wear on the pulleys. The original lagging was a rubber with ceramic tiles pressed into the rubber (see left). The issue was that the tiles were not separated by any rubber to allow them to flex under tension. There was no adhesion between the tiles, and, under the high tension of bulk material, they would fracture, break and fly off the pulley. Also, the tiles were square which makes it difficult to get a good bond on a 90-degree point verses a radius curve.

In addition, an area for water did not exist and caused material to shed away from the center of the pulley. As mud build up in the center, it forces its way under the tiles through a hydraulic action further compromising the pulley lagging.

Because of these factors, in some applications the conveyor was achieving barely 6 months of pulley life before it was time for a change out.

Solution – We recommended installing Arrowhead pulley ceramic lagging. The unique Arrowhead pattern provides effective water and material shedding away from the center of the pulley. Each 3-¼” long by ½” tile is completely encased in rubber on all five sides around and under each tile. Every tile is molded with rounded corners to provide a better adhesion to the tile and rubber lagging. The Arrowhead line is MSHA approved for mine use and meets all requirements for flame resistant solid products taken into mines. Acceptance Marking No. MSHA IC -174/2

Arrowhead Ceramic Pulley Lagging

Results – The mine has now made the ASGCO Arrowhead lagging its standard pulley lagging solution, which has solved the problems with high pulley wear. In as case of a high production facility, thousands of hours can be saved in the time it takes to shutdown the conveyor system to replace a pulley. With ASGCO Arrowhead Ceramic Lagging the company is able to increase its production and minimize its downtime.